MLB, Fans Settle TV Antitrust Class Action Just Before Trial

Law360, New York (January 19, 2016, 10:11 AM EST) -- MLB reached a deal with fans to settle an antitrust class action over how out-of-market game broadcasts are sold, just moments before the trial was due to start Tuesday morning.

The settlement comes as the two sides were set to begin a nine-day bench trial in Manhattan federal court Tuesday over fans' claim that Major League Baseball's long-standing policy of only selling leaguewide cable and online game packages and its territorial blackout policies violated federal antitrust law.

Under the agreement, MLB has agreed to offer next season single-team packages for its online streaming service MLB.tv for $84.99, a 23 percent reduction...

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